Mechanically‑triggered anti-inflammatory treatment for ACL/cranial cruciate injuries
Official title: Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Delivery from Mechanically-Activated Microspheres in the Context of Cruciate Ligament Injury
Funded at Philadelphia VA Medical Center · NIH-11166293 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are developing tiny capsules that release anti-inflammatory medicine when the knee moves to help reduce joint inflammation after ACL or cruciate ligament injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Philadelphia VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I21RX004628-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166293 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with recent ACL or other cruciate ligament injuries who are looking for local treatments to reduce joint inflammation and lower the risk of post‑injury joint degeneration.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with long-standing, severe joint degeneration already requiring joint replacement or those with known allergies to the delivery materials may not receive benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have a cruciate ligament injury, this work aims to deliver anti-inflammatory medicine directly inside the joint using microscopic PLGA capsules that break open when the joint is mechanically loaded. The capsules (mechanically‑activated microspheres, or MAMCs) can release drugs either when movement causes them to rupture or more slowly as they degrade. The team has tested safety and two‑week release in animals like minipigs and is working toward testing the approach in naturally occurring injuries (including companion animal models such as dogs) to better mimic human injuries. Results from these steps would guide whether the approach could move into human testing for people with ACL or similar ligament injuries.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide longer-lasting, joint-targeted anti-inflammatory relief after cruciate ligament injuries and help reduce pain and prevent further joint damage.
How similar studies have gone: Related sustained‑release joint injections exist and animal work with these mechanically‑activated microspheres has shown tolerability and two‑week release in minipigs, but the mechanically triggered delivery method is novel and less tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
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Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mauck, Robert L — Philadelphia VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mauck, Robert L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.